Articles /2019
4BR 2019 Band of the Year — The conductors and players
December 30, 2019
Plenty of fantastic performers and performances to consider from conductors and players who make it into the 2019 4BR Band of the Year.
2019 4BR Awards — The Nominations
December 16, 2019
The long list of 4BR annual award nominations that will be considered by our panel of judges has been released.
Extinction Rebellion — Will insularity cause the death of the UK brass band movement?
December 12, 2019
Austerity cuts may have created huge problems, but will the banding movement's own self-imposed insularity be the ultimate cause of its demise...
4BR Hall of Fame — No3: Stanley Boddington
December 8, 2019
One of the great brass band conductors of the second half of the 20th century - and a man whose genuine personal modesty made him an even greater musician.
The plastic revolution — The right performance key for the future?
December 7, 2019
4BR looks at how the Warwick Music Group's recyclable plastic instruments could help secure the future of the musical brass band planet through technology and fun...
2019 Swiss Nationals — As it happened
November 24, 2019
All the action from the 2019 Swiss Nationals - as it happened.
2019 Scottish Open Championship — As it happened
November 23, 2019
All the action from the 2019 Scottish Open Championship - as it happened.
2019 Brass in Concert Championship — As it happened
November 17, 2019
All the action from the 2019 Brass in Concert Championship - as it happened.
2019 Brass in Concert Championship — Preview & prediction
November 14, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the brass band entertainment on offer at the 43rd Brass in Concert Festival weekend at Sage Gateshead.
4BR Hall of Fame — No.2: Albert Baile
November 7, 2019
One of the major figures of Australian banding whose name will forever be associated with the British Open...
2019 SIDDIS Brass — As it happened
November 2, 2019
All the action from the 2019 SIDDIS Brass - as it happened.
2019 Dutch National Championship — As it happened
October 26, 2019
All the action from the 2019 Dutch National Championship - as it happened.
2020 RNCM Festival of Brass — World class music making in the heart of Manchester
October 22, 2019
RNCM Brass Band Festival Artistic Director Paul Hindmarsh previews the attractions to look forward to at the showcase event.
4BR Hall of Fame — No.1: Jack Atherton
October 19, 2019
The first person to be inducted into the new 4BR Hall of Fame is a musician whose single major title success was scant reward for his talent.
2019 National Championship of Great Britain — Podium place adjudications
October 16, 2019
This is what Rob Wiffen, Dr Roberts Childs and Alan Morrison wrote about the performances of the top three bands, Cory, Black Dyke and Whitburn in their adjudications at the Royal Albert Hall.
2019 National Championship of Great Britain — Championship Section - As it happened
October 12, 2019
All the action from the 2019 National Championship of Great Britain - Championship Section - as it happened.
2019 National Championship of Great Britain — Preview & prediction
October 11, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the clash of the titans at the Royal Albert Hall on the weekend...
2019 National Championship of Great Britain — Test piece review
October 9, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox takes a closer look at Hermann Pallhuber's 'Titan's Progress' - a work inspired by a complex genius full of contradictions in its search of its heroic meaning of life.
Take 5 — A quintet of talking points from the BBE Conference
October 4, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox picks five talking points from the recent Brass Bands England Conference in Sale.
England expects — Impressive results and future challenges on display at BBE Conference
October 2, 2019
Brass Bands England's first 'Better Banding for All' Conference raised levels of optimism, enthusiasm and engagement in Sale, despite some ambitions remaining untouched by debate.
2019 National Championship of Great Britain — Section 1 - As it happened
September 15, 2019
All the action from the 2019 National Championship of Great Britain - Section 1 - as it happened.
2019 National Championship of Great Britain — Section 2 - As it happened
September 15, 2019
All the action from the 2019 National Championship of Great Britain - Section 2 - as it happened.
2019 National Championship of Great Britain — Section 3 - As it happened
September 15, 2019
All the action from the 2019 National Championship of Great Britain - Section 3 - as it happened.
2019 National Championship of Great Britain — Section 4 - As it happened
September 15, 2019
All the action from the 2019 National Championship of Great Britain - Section 4 - as it happened.
2019 British Open — As it happened
September 7, 2019
All the action from the 2019 British Open - as it happened.
2019 National Championship of Great Britain — Section 1 - Preview & prediction
September 12, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks at the celebration of 200 years of all great things Australian that will test the best of British First Section bands at Cheltenham this weekend.
2019 National Championship of Great Britain — Section 2 - Preview & prediction
September 11, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks at the amalgam of demands hidden in plain sight from Edward Gregson that will test the bands hoping to lift the Second Section title on Sunday afternoon.
2019 National Championship of Great Britain — Section 3 - Preview & prediction
September 10, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox finds that its not just brass bands that have suffered from being stereotyped over the years, as Thierry Deleruyelle's test-piece challenge offers something different for the 18 contenders to overcome.
2019 National Championship of Great Britain — Section 4 - Preview & prediction
September 9, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to what promises to be a stern, but enjoyable test for the 18 bands in trying to claim the Fourth Section title.
2019 British Open — Preview & prediction
September 5, 2019
The sound of a new champion will resonate around the banding world this year as the British Open goes global...
2019 British Open — Test piece review
September 3, 2019
Peter Graham's monument to greatness will provide a subtle tonal test of musicality for the competing bands at Symphony Hall - something the Mortimer dynasty would surely be delighted with...
Sand, sea and musical sunshine — IBBSS 2019
August 27, 2019
150 delegates from around the world made the trip to Wales to enjoy music making with a global outlook at the International Brass Band Summer School.
Take 5 — A quintet of British Open test-pieces ready for reprise
August 9, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox picks five works used at the British Open since 'Spectrum' in 1969 that deserve a possible well overdue contest reprise...
NYBBS 2019 — Scotland's best kept secret
August 8, 2019
Charlotte MacKay looks back at a memorable National Youth Brass Bands of Scotland annual residential course based in Perthshire.
Spectrum — One giant leap for brass band kind...
August 1, 2019
Half a century has now passed since Gilbert Vinter's 'Spectrum' changed the face of brass band repertoire forever. 4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks back at its impact...
Meeting your heroes — Brass for Africa and Wynton Marsalis...
July 26, 2019
Paul McLaughlin of the Lydbrook Band and Gloucestershire Music Services reflects on a memorable musical link with Brass for Africa and a certain Wynton Marsalis and friends, as part of the recent Cheltenham Music Festival.
To change or not to change? — A repeated question in need of an urgent answer...
July 21, 2019
Contesting has dominated the brass band genre for nearly 170 years, but has the time for a radical rethink finally arrived? Tim Mutum offers his personal viewpoint.
Requiem for brass — Verdi's masterpiece comes to Durham
July 17, 2019
David Whetstone talks to composer Steve Robson and chorus master Mike Summers about the landmark performance of Verdi's 'Requiem' at Durham Cathedral as part of Durham BRASS 2019.
Grimethorpe at the crossroads — An exciting future or a heyday that has passed forever?
July 10, 2019
Does the appointment of Dr David Thornton as Musical Director finally signal the realistic ambition of Grimethorpe Colliery Band to secure a relevant future for itself?
2019 BrassPass.tv Band of the Year — As it happened
June 22, 2019
All the action from the 2019 BrassPass.tv Band of the Year - as it happened.
2019 Whit Friday — The times they are a changin'
June 13, 2019
Malcolm Wood looks forward to what could be the start of a new era in the long history of the famous Whit Friday contests...
2019 British Open Spring Festival — As it happened
May 18, 2019
All the action from the 2019 British Open Spring Festival - as it happened.
2019 British Open Spring Festival — Previews & predictions
May 16, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks ahead but not down on the thrills and spills of the trio of Spring Festival qualification contests at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool this weekend.
Take 5 — A quintet of debating points from the 2019 European Championships
May 15, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox picks five points of interest that emerged from the recent European Championships in Montreux.
2019 European Championships — Championship Section - As it happened
April 27, 2019
All the action from the 2019 European Championships - Championship Section - as it happened.
2019 European Championships — Challenge Section - As it happened
April 27, 2019
All the action from the 2019 European Championships - Challenge Section - as it happened.
2019 European Championships — Youth Section - As it happened
April 28, 2019
All the action from the 2019 European Championships - Youth Section - as it happened.
2019 European Championships — Previews & Predictions
April 24, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox previews the five different competitions being held in Montreux - and goes all Cassandra with his prophetic predictions.
2019 European Championships — Introduction & Timetable
April 23, 2019
You don't have to make the trip to Montreux to enjoy the action... and there is plenty to look forward to.
2019 European Championships — Dear Cassandra - test piece review
April 23, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox takes a closer look inside Ludovic Neurohr's mind to try and work out his fear as well as his desire to change the future direction of brass band music...
2019 European Championships — Own choice selections
April 22, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks at the 12 pieces chosen by the 13 competing bands in the Championship Section in Montreux on the weekend.
Playing for Scotland — NYBBS youngsters enjoy Easter Course
April 20, 2019
Damien Martin reports from the recent National Youth Brass Band of Scotland's Easter Course, where new connections were put in place for an exciting musical future.
In a heartbeat — When beating time is all that matters...
April 18, 2019
When conductor Ian Holmes collapsed with a cardiac arrest during a rehearsal, three players knew that beating the right time would save his life...
The opening up of Europe — An argument for keeping things closed
April 12, 2019
Cory MD Philip Harper responds to 4BR's recent article on open adjudication in the own-choice element of the European Championships...
The Usual Suspects — Time to end the own-choice pretence at the Europeans?
April 5, 2019
It doesn't take Hercule Poirot to work who is playing what as an own-choice selection ahead of the European Championships in Montreux - so why not just let the judges make their decision in an open court?
Take 5 — A quintet of talking points from the National Youth Championships of Great Britain
April 2, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox picks five points of debate and interest that arose from the 2019 National Youth Championships of Great Britain at Warwick School.
Arthur Kenney — The diminutive Major with a touch of genius
March 29, 2019
Tim Mutum explores the life of the inimitable Major Arthur Kenney, who was born 100 years ago.
Take 5 — A quintet of debating points from the Regional Championships
March 27, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox picks 5 points of debate and opinion that have arisen from the 2019 series of Regional Championship contests...
2019 National Youth Championships of Great Britain — A new era begins in Warwick
March 26, 2019
Brass Bands England brings a new focus to its flagship youth event - one that it hopes will support the realistic ambitions and long term development of the future generations of brass band playing talent.
2019 Welsh Regional Championships — As it happened
March 17, 2019
All the action from the 2019 Welsh Regional Championships - As it happened.
2019 London & Southern Counties Regional Championships — As it happened
March 17, 2019
All the action from the 2019 London & Southern Counties Regional Championships - As it happened.
2019 North of England Regional Championships — As it happened
March 17, 2019
All the action from the 2019 North of England Regional Championships - As it happened.
2019 Welsh Regional Championships — Previews & Predictions
March 15, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the qualification action for London and Cheltenham as Welsh banding heads north to Wrexham.
2019 London & Southern Counties Regional Championships — Previews & Predictions
March 14, 2019
4BR's Rob Tompkins looks forward to the Cheltenham and London qualification action at Stevenage this weekend.
2019 North of England Regional Championships — Previews & Predictions
March 14, 2019
4BR's Steve Jack looks forward to the qualification battles for London and Cheltenham at Durham's Gala Theatre this weekend.
2019 Scottish Championships — As it happened
March 10, 2019
All the action from the 2019 Scottish Championships - As it happened.
2019 West of England Regional Championships — As it happened
March 10, 2019
All the action from the 2019 West of England Regional Championships - As it happened.
2019 Midlands Regional Championships — As it happened
March 10, 2019
All the action from the 2019 Midlands Regional Championships - As it happened.
2019 Scottish Championships — Previews & Predictions
March 8, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the battle for Scottish Championship titles in Perth on the weekend.
2019 West of England Regional Championships — Previews & Predictions
March 6, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the qualification action in Torquay this weekend.
2019 Midlands Regional Championships — Previews & Predictions
March 6, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the qualification action in Bedworth and Kenilworth on the weekend.
2019 Yorkshire Regional Championships — As it happened
March 3, 2019
All the action from the 2019 Yorkshire Regional Championships - As it happened.
2019 Yorkshire Regional Championships — Previews & Predictions
February 28, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to a febrile competitive atmosphere at a warm and welcoming Huddersfield Town Hall on the weekend.
2019 North West Regional Championships — As it happened
February 24, 2019
All the action from the 2019 North West Regional Championships - As it happened.
2019 Norwegian National Championships — As it happened
February 10, 2019
All the action from the 2019 Norwegian National Championships - As it happened.
2019 North West Regional Championships — Previews & Predictions
February 22, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the first steps on the qualification road to London and Cheltenham - starting off at the Winter Gardens in Blackpool on Sunday.
The joy of sax — 2019 Saxhorn Fest makes a worldwide impression...
February 6, 2019
Almost half a million people know a bit more about the musical joys of the tenor horn and baritone thanks to the success of the Saxhorn Fest led by Katrina Marzella-Wheeler and Helen Varley.
Trepanning for excellence — Light bulb open mindedness at the RNCM Festival of Brass
January 24, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks forward to the most vital showcase for brass banding excellence in the UK at the RNCM Brass Band Festival in Manchester this weekend.
2019 Butlins Mineworkers Championship — As it happened
January 13, 2019
All the action from the 2019 Butlins Mineworkers Championship - As it happened.
2019 Butlins Mineworkers Championship — Preview & Predictions
January 10, 2019
The overture to the 2019 contesting year is provided at Skegness this weekend when 70 bands battle for the Butlins accolades and hefty cash prizes...
Walking in the Air — How to build a magical brass band Snowman
January 9, 2019
Inspiration, hard work and plenty of vision has helped East London Brass bring an iconic Christmas tale to magical brass band life in the heart of their community.
4BR Spotlight interview — 5 minutes or so with Rex Richardson
January 8, 2019
We spend five minutes or so in the company of the great American trumpet star and brass band lover Rex Richardson - with another five minutes or more to come...
2019 Butlins Mineworkers Championship — From Benvenuto Cellini to Saddleworth Moor...
January 6, 2019
4BR Editor Iwan Fox looks at the very particular tests of musical ambition that will face the bands in Skegness.
Better than winning the National — One player's incredible SwabforSykes donation experience
January 5, 2019
Foden's cornet player Adrian Beresford signed up for the #SwabforSykes campaign in March 2017 - resulting in an incredible personal experience that has seen him potentially save the life of a woman across the Atlantic Ocean...
